Thanks to @cookbycolor for this delicious recipe featuring our Red Curry!
These flavorful and veggie loaded meatballs are infused with so much flavor and nutrients, and that’s even before they hit the delicious Yai’s Thai Red Curry! I love to make the meatballs ahead of time, and then quickly defrost, simmer in the curry to warm through and serve over carrot ‘noodles.’ The Yai’s Thai Red Curry is the next best thing to having a Yai (Thai grandmother) making us food from scratch, but with this sauce it’s essentially all that love and flavor simmered into a convenient jar!
The red curry is spicy, but the meatballs are mild and full of flavor. You can make one meal to satisfy both kids and adults. The kids will love the meatballs, and the parents will love having something delicious to mix up the mid month Whole30 palette.
Ingredients:
✅ 1 jar Yai’s Thai Red Curry
✅ ½ pound carrots, noodles (made with a peeler, or shredded in a food processor)
✅ 3 cups spinach
Meatballs:
✅ 2 pounds ground beef (90/10 or 85/15 is best!)
✅ ½ cup white mushrooms, finely chopped
✅ 2 eggs, whisked
✅ 4 garlic cloves, minced
✅ ¼ cup green onions, finely chopped
✅ 1 cup carrots, shredded
✅ ½ tsp lime zest
✅ 1 lime, juiced
✅ 3 tbsp coconut aminos
✅ 1 tsp fish sauce
✅ 1 inch fresh ginger, grated
✅ 1 tsp mushroom umami powder (optional, but delicious)
✅ 1 tsp cumin
✅ ¼ cup finely chopped basil
✅ ½ cup finely chopped cilantro
✅ Kosher salt and pepper to taste
Garnishes:
✅ ½ lime cut into wedges (optional)
✅ 1-2 tbsp fresh herbs such as basil, cilantro, mint, torn or chopped (optional)
✅ 1-2 tbsp crushed cashews for crunch (optional)
Instructions:
✔️ Step 1: Preheat your oven to 375 degrees. Prep all your meatball ingredients, and then put them in a large bowl with the meat. Mix with your hands well to just incorporate, but do not mix more than needed to do so.
✔️ Step 2: Make 2 inch meatballs with a scooper, or a spoon, and roll out, placing on a sheet pan. Leave some space between each meatball, or do two batches.
✔️ Step 3: Bake for 10 minutes, and flip the pan around to evenly heat them in the oven. Bake for another 5-7 minutes, checking the internal temperature is 160- 165 degrees, or slightly less as they will continue to cook in the sauce.
✔️ Step 4: In a large skillet, heat the jar of Yai’s Thai Red Curry over medium low heat until it’s slowly simmering. Add the prepared meatballs and spinach into the simmering curry. Cook the carrot noodles either in the simmering sauce, or serve them raw in your bowl and pour the hot curry over top.
✔️ Step 5: Serve the Yai’s Thai Red Curry Meatballs and sauce over the raw carrot noodles which will soften them. Garnish with any or all of the options I listed, and enjoy so much.
Storing & Reheating:
🔹 Storing: This dish can be stored perfectly in an airtight container in the fridge for up to three days.🔹 Reheating: You can heat this in a dry skillet over low heat, adding a little water if needed to simmer.
